Multiple-unit packaging assembly



Nov. 10, 1953 J. v. NECAS MULTIPLE-UNIT PACKAGING ASSEMBLY Filed June 15, 1950 INVENTOR. JOSEPH V. NECAS BY M 1? 1% HIS m'T uavs Patented Nov. 10, 1953 MULTIPLE-UNIT PACKAGING ASSEMBLY Joseph V. Necas, Tuckahoe, N. Y., assignor to P. Lorillard Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 15, 1950, Serial No. 168,347

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a new improved multiple-unit package suitable for display, sale, shipment and tax-stamping of a multiplicity of uniform small articles such as cigarette packs and the like.

In the past it has been conventional to package cigarettes in lO-pack cartons. This conventional carton is useful for the shipment and handling of large quantities of cigarettes and also affords a means for minimizing selling costs by inducing bulk sales. The conventional carton, however, has various inherent disadvantages, some of which are unattractive display characteristics, additional expenses incurred in preparation of durable and presentable cartons, and the inconvenience and expense occasioned the local jobber in meeting the tax stamp requirements of the various states and cities in which the cigarettes are sold. With respect to the latter, it is now necessary for the local distributor to open each conventional lO-pack carton, remove the individual packs therefrom and afiix a tax stamp, after which the packs must then be replaced and the carton sealed.

A further disadvantage of the conventional pack carton is that with the increased cost of cigarettes the resulting high price of a carton may be more than an average purchaser wishes to spend in a single purchase.

The instant invention overcomes the above disadvantages of the conventional l0-pack carton by providing an attractive, economical packaging assembly of an indeterminate number of packs less than 10, which assembly enables the affixing of a tax stamp or other mark on each individual unit or pack without necessitating removal of each from the assembly or otherwise tampering with the packaging in any way. In addition the invention affords a structurally improved packaging assembly which requires a minimum quantity of wrapping materials and which may utilize the rigid and rectangular characteristics of conventional cigarette packs as a fundamental part of the package structure. Moreover the packs may be removed from the assembly one at a time without destroying the positioning of any of the remaining packs or causing the assembly to collapse.

According to the invention a multiplicity of cigarette packs such as five for example, are abutted edgewise to form a column of convenient shape, and a strip member formed of cardboard, for example, placed along one edge of the column to overlie the aligned tops of the packs. The free ends of the strip are folded to overlie the two exposed outside edges of the column and a transparent overwrap, which may be formed of thin highly flexible material, such as cellophane for example, wrapped about the column to overlie the front and back surfaces of each of the packs. The overwrap also embraces the strip member, but does not cover the aligned bottom edges of each pack in order that each may be; exposed eventually to receive a tax stamp. Separable bonds or tacking seals are formed between surfaces of each pack and the opposing or adjacent portions of the overwrap, thereby to complete a rigid assembly which resists normal bending stresses in any direction, this by virtue of the characteristics imparted to the assembly by the overwrap, the abutted and anchored packs and by the strip member. Thus the invention provides an economical, multiple-unit package which is structurally strong enough to maintain its shape during all normal handling operations, and which is also adapted to maintain its rigid characteristics as each individual pack is removed therefrom, each pack nevertheless being so secured as to be easily removed from the assembly.

The invention is disclosed in particular in the appended claims, with the following specification disclosing preferred embodiments of the invention in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is an exploded perspective view of a multiple-unit package formed accordin to the invention and showing the several components thereof, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled multiple-unit package.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a column of edgewise abutted units each designated by the numeral l0 and representing conventional cigarette packs or the like. A narrow strip member H formed of cardboard or heavy paper and having two upturned end portions l2 and E3 to form a U-shaped component, overlies the longitudinal edge and each of the two extreme edges of the column as shown. The cardboard strip may be transversely scored to facilitate bending into the desired U configuration, and the tips of the upturned end portions E2 and it may be rounded to eliminate sharp corners. The width of the strip is preferably equal to the thickness of a cigarette pack.

An overwrap l4 formed of a single sheet of cellophane or other transparent material surrounds the front and back surfaces of the assembled packs and includes a pair of longitudinal folds enwrapping the strip member H The overwrap is also tucked and folded around the end portions !2 and I3 and heat-sealed against itself, or otherwise anchored to close the column ends.

The overwrap M is bonded or tack-sealed to both the front and back surfaces of the cellophane coverin of each cigarette pack. Preferably the joints, as designated by the numeral l5, comprise parallel seams adjacent each edge of each pack as shown. The bond may be effected by means of a solvent adhesive which may be applied in parallel lines to the cellophane wrapper of each individual pack immediately prior to assembling the cellophane overwrap, Preferably the nature of each bond is such that it may be broken when the corresponding pack is removed without damaging the individual cellophane wrapper on the cigarette pack or unnecessarily harming the overwrap, such characteristic being imparted by close control of the solvent used in forming the joints I5.

It will be seen that the assembled package as shown in Fig. 2 exposes one end of each pack of cigarettes in order that tax stamps or other markings may be affixed thereto without in any way destroying the assembly.

The assembly is afforded rigidity against bending in the plane containing the strip member II by virtue of the inherent resistance of a cardboard strip to edgewise bending, i, e. bending in the plane containing the strip. The assembly is also made rigid against bending in the plane at right angles to the plane containing the strip member by virtue of the overwrap which holds the individual packs by means of four tacking seams l5, and also to a certain extent by the engagement of the squared abutting surfaces of contiguous packs. It will also be apparent that the tacking seams l5 prevent individual packs from falling out of the assembly prematurely.

Because the assembly utilizes an overwrap of thin transparent material, any design already present on the face of each pack or unit is exposed to view, thereby obviating the need for further design on the overwrap. It will be understood, however, that the opaque strip member H may have designs or legends imprinted thereon to enhance the overall appearance of the package.

A preferred method for forming the package assembly includes feeding adjacent groups or columns of laterally positioned cigarette Packages along an assembly line, and dropping the U-shaped strip member ll into position. A suitable solvent or other adhesive, preferably having transparent characteristics, is then applied to opposite sides of the individual cigarette packs in two parallel seams 15 adjacent each edge of each pack, and the cellophane overwrap is folded over the longitudinal edge of the column and pressed against the front and back faces thereof, with heated plates or rollers being used to eifect an eflicient but separable bond between the overwrap and each of the individual wrappers of the packs. The ends of the overwrap are then folded and tucked and heat-sealed or otherwise secured over the arms [2 and 13 of the strip member H to complete the package assembly.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications may be made in the preferred embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus for example the overwrap may comprise a strip or strips of cellophane overlying either or both surfaces of the column and affixed to each of the packs in the manner described. In this case means must be provided, such as additional seals, securing the strip member H to the overwrap. Or a single sheet of overwrap material may be wound around the column girthwise to overlie the front and back surfaces of each pack and the upturned ends l2 and 13 of the strip member II, a seal being provided between each pack and the overwrap and between the ends I2 and I3 and the overwrap in order to secure the strip member in place.

Accordingly the invention should not be limited in scope save as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A packaging assembly for a multiplicity of cigarette packs including in combination a multiplicity of cigarette packs each having large parallel front and back faces, relatively narrow parallel ends and relatively narrow parallel edges, said packs being edgewise abutted to form a fiat narrow column, a paperboard strip member of substantially the same width as the edges of said packs and disposed in longitudinal alignment with the column to overlie one end of each pack, said strip having upturned end portions to overlie at least a part of each end of the column of packs, a cellophane overwrap folded around the strip member and overlying at least a portion of the front and back faces of each of said packs, said overwrap being closed at the column ends and open on one edge to form a container exposing one end of each of said packs, and means forming a separable bond between said overwrap and portions of the opposing front and back faces of each of said packs, said column being constrained by said strip member against bendin in the plane containing the strip member and against bending in the plane normal to the strip member and parallel to the faces of the packs by the bond between said overwrap and each of the individual packs and by the longitudinal compression afforded by said overwrap holding said packs in edgewise abutment.

2. A packaging assembly for a multiplicity of cigarette packs including in combination at least five cellophane wrapped cigarette packs each having large parallel front and back faces, two parallel, relatively narrow ends and two parallel, relatively narrow edges, said packs being edgewise abutted to form a fiat narrow column, a paperboard strip member of substantially the same width as the edges of the packs and disposed in longitudinal alignment with the col umn to overlie one end of each pack and having turned up end portions overlying the column ends, a cellophane overwrap in the shape of a narrow rectangular container receiving said column of packs and strip member, said cellophane overwrap having one edge completely open to expose one end of each pack, and solventadhesive means forming separable bonds between said overwrap and the cellophane of the front and back faces of each of said packs, said separable bonds being in the form of two parallel seams for each pack face adjacent to and aligned with the packedges, said assembly being constrained by said strip member against bending in the plane containing the strip member and against bending in the plane normal to the strip member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the assembly by the bonds between said overwrap and each of said packs and by said overwrap holdin packs in edgewise abutment.

JOSEPH V. NECAS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,338,315 McAuliffe Apr. 27, 1920 1,903,734. Avery Apr. 11, 1933 1,906,722 Rosenberg May 2, 1933 1,958,033 Cohn May 8, 1934 2,129,701 Malocsay Sept. 13, 1938 2,179,377 McDonald Nov. 7, 1939 2,210,195 Baldwin Aug. 6, 1940 2,552,740 Schumann May 15, 1951 

